PHOTO BY: Paul Winch-Furness

StyleNest headed to the Islington brand of The Diner London, for an all American feast of burgers, hotdogs and mac ‘n’ cheese.

You can’t miss the Angel branch of The Diner. The sprawling American style restaurant sits pride of place on the Angel end of Essex Road, lit up by its authentically retro, neon light signage.

Inside the theme continues, with dice hanging on the walls and leather booths, a checkered diner floor and vintage jukebox in the corner, whilst retro napkin holders and condiments galore line the tables.

The staff are of the East London hipster type, all ripped tights, bombers and creepers. Super friendly, young and full of energy they were all polite and happy to help.

We ordered some of The Diner’s house cocktails to start – the Diner Mojito. Tall, refreshing, zesty and packed full of fresh mint it was a real thirst quencher and a great tipple to ease yourself into the hearty man food to come. There are plenty of drinks to choose from, of both the hard and the soft kind. From wine and craft beers to milkshakes and milkshakes with an alcoholic twist.

American classics are what The Diner do best, naturally, from breakfast pancakes to hot dogs, mac ‘n’ cheese to burgers – and lots of them. We ordered one of the burgers – the Diablo, very reasonably priced at £9.

The patty is made from a mix of rib, fillet, sirloin and chuck beef, which culminates in a meaty, juicy and full-flavoured burger. Cooked to taste, ours came perfectly medium-rare and topped with bacon, jalapeños, mayo and classic American cheese. The BCC Dog was great too – a sinful mix of beef frank chilli dog with cheese and chopped bacon. Guilty pleasures at their finest.

There are plenty of added extras to really Americanise your dish with too, from toppings of pulled pork to comforting mac ‘n’ cheese and moreish cheesy fries. The Diner isn’t really the place you’d go for a salad (although they are on the menu) so you may as well order the lot, as intended and indulge.

We skipped dessert as we were just too full but we were certainly tempted by what’s on offer. Apple chimichangas with whipped cream, chocolate brownies with fudge sauce or waffles, roast bananas and ice cream – delish. Well, at least we have an excuse to re-visit.

The Diner, 21 Essex Road, Islington, London N1 2SA Tel. 020 7226 4533

There are six other Diner locations around London

Browse the menu or book online www.goodlifediner.com

For recipe ideas and inspiration visit StyleNest’s Recipe channel here.